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A New Life Altogether, May 13
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man,
which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed
in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which
after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Ephesians
4:22-24
.
Conversion is a work that most do not appreciate. It is not a small
matter to transform an earthly, sin-loving mind and bring it to under-
stand the unspeakable love of Christ, the charms of His grace, and the
excellency of God, so that the soul shall be imbued with divine love
and captivated with the heavenly mysteries. When he understands these
things, his former life appears disgusting and hateful. He hates sin, and,
breaking his heart before God, he embraces Christ as the life and joy of
the soul. He renounces his former pleasures. He has a new mind, new
affections, new interest, new will; his sorrows, and desires, and love are
all new.... Heaven, which once possessed no charms, is now viewed in
its riches and glory; and he contemplates it as his future home, where
he shall see, love, and praise the One who hath redeemed him by His
precious blood. The works of holiness, which appeared wearisome, are
now his delight. The Word of God, which was dull and uninteresting, is
now chosen as his study, the man of his counsel. It is as a letter written
to him from God, bearing the inscription of the Eternal. His thoughts,
his words, and his deeds are brought to this rule and tested. He trembles
at the commands and threatenings which it contains, while he firmly
grasps its promises and strengthens his soul by appropriating them to
himself.
When the transforming grace of Christ is upon the heart, a righteous
indignation will take possession of the soul because the sinner has so
long neglected the great salvation that God has provided for him. He will
then surrender himself, body, soul, and spirit, to God and will withdraw
from companionship with Satan, through the grace given him of God.
All need to understand the process of conversion. The fruit is seen
in the changed life.
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